Passport fees increase for UK citizens

Anyone applying for a passport in the UK after October 4th this year will be paying slightly more than they did last year. The additional fee will help cover the costs of consular assistance provided to British citizens abroad.

The Forign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is the British body which assists British citizens abroad. For every passport issued to a citizen of the UK, the FCO charges a premium in order to help finance their services, regardless of where the passport is requested or produced.

The fee charged by the FCO is increasing. Since April 2007, passports produced outside the UK were subject to an additional consular premium. An additional £6 was charged for adults, £1 for children and £8 for jumbo (48 page) passports. These increases will be applicable on passports produced in the UK beginning on Thursday October 4th 2007.

The fee for a new passport will now be:

• Adult: £72 Postal, £97 Fast Track, £114 Premium
• Jumbo Passport: £85 Postal, £105 Fast Track, £123 Premium
• Child: £46 Postal, £81 Fast Track, £94 Premium
• Extension adult (original issued within UK): Free
• Extension child (original issued within UK): Free

For further details, interested travelers should visit the government website (www.ips.gov.uk)